Check valve



Ma gy-pr March 2, 1954 w. c. CARLISLE ET AL 2,670,922

CHECK VALVE Filed April '7, 195

WILLISCCARLISLE JOHN H. McCARvELL INVENTOR.

BY J n ATTORNEY i atented Mar. 2, 1 9 5 4 i Willis flariisle iff fitfcoa veil, Hous ltiin, Teir'.,'=a'ssignore-to maccooil 'r'dcl compauy. ma, abomination of Texas Application-April 1, 1951-;-Serial No.2-1-9.08 YI-Ciaim: (Cl. 25 L44 This invention relates "to a. valve construction of the general type known as'a check valve aiid is particularly suitable for use in a went-o" control the now of pressure fluid in elevating "the well fluids to the surface.

This invention has been briefly referred "to in our copending application 203.202. 'file'd Janu'ary 27, '1'951, now Patent'No. 610,644; granted September 16, 1-952',.wherein the check valve of this invention 'is s'hown in combination with-a fidw'valve and a well tubing.

one of the objects of this invention' is to provide a check valve construction which will elimihate excessive wear on the valve member when the fluid under pressure enter the valve. Such wear results in what is commonly called wire drawing. It is generaIly-believed that such wire drawing results from uneven or irregular displacement of the check valve member or plunger member 'from its-valve-seat, causing small orifices between the valve seat and the check valve memher, which in turn permits the fluid to wear away the race of the valve seat and the check valve member in the form of narrow grooves or wires? Another object of this invention is to provide a checkvalve that is compact, easy to handle and transfer from one location to another and which can be readily separated into its component-parts for cleaning and replacement.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a checkvalve' unit which has a fixed but removable valve seat in ahou'sing, and a-hollow check valve member which 'seiv'e's to operand close the'inlet-when fluid pressureis applied upon it.-

An additional object is to provide a check'valve member which is slidable inagvalve housing and is' 'also-holloiv so that substantially all oftheflu'id which 'goes i-nto the valve must pass through the lateral passages andhollowste'm of the check valve member.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a check valve for use in connection with flow valves in elevating the well fluids to the surfaces, the valve to have a ring and a Washer interposed between the check valve member and its valve seat, the ring and washer serving as a portion of the valve seat member.

A still furtherobject is to provide a coil spring to urge the valve member to closed and sealing position and through which the flow of fluid will pass to avoid wear and corrosion.

Other and further objects will be readily apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1' is a sid'efelevation- "showing. the check valve member or this invention partly in section and illustrating the hollow "stem and "angularor lateral'passag'es throughthe valve member-in operative connection therewith.

Fig. '2 is aside elevation showing theiccmplet'e check valve of this invention and illustrating the novel check valve member in closed position "so that the flow is through the hollow valve and spring. In actual bp'ia'tidh' the "valve, maybe inverted in some instances.

Fig. -3is atop View of the checkfv'alve member of Fig. 1 showing the details of'the "angular-pr lateral passages with relation to the valve seat engaging portion or tip of the 'checkvalve membar.

A more detailed description ofth'e drawings follows wherein like numerals of reference designatelilre parts in all figures of the drawing.

Referring first to Fig. 2; itcan be seen that'a valve housing. I is shown as hollow with afifluid flow opening 2 in one end and another Kimono-w opening 3 in the oppositeend. Within theopehing 2 is located a plug "4" which has a valves'eat 5 thereon. Plug '4 is provided with threads '6 which engage corresponding threads cn'thefim side ofhousing lat 'fluidflow'openin'gi'. Bldg 4 has a passage 8 therethrough so that it :o'nl'y partially plugs opening 2. Threads '1 may be provided in passage '8 forattachment to a piping section (no'tshow-n) or any other suitable device. A seal ring l l may be provided; atllt'he undersurfaceoi-fiange 9 as shown in'Fig.'2.; such seal ring 14 may be attached either tothe plug. I or to the valve housing 1., but it is preferably at- 'tached to plug 4. Toenable plug 4 to be turned with a wrench if necessary, a multi flat sided head 49 formsthe upper part of plug. 4

Check valve memberor plunger rnem'ber l ll is located withinhousing -l and'is slidtable coaxiall'y of the walls ofhousing I. When fluid is not exe'rting a force on the plunger member 10 through passage 8, member In is in a normally closed position as shown in Fig. 2. In such closed position, the engaging portion or ball ll of the valve member ID is in contact with the valve seat 5. To obtain a more perfect seal, there may be additionally inserted a washer l2 and a ring l3 which together form a valve seat seal. The washer I2 may be made of rubber or synthetic materials such as Hycar, or any other suitable resilient material. It has been found, however, that Hycar is the most desirable for normal service. The ring I 3 is preferably made of metal.

Washer l2 and ring 13 are separate from each other and both are prevented from axial move-i ment by engagement of ring [3 with an internal abutment 15 in housing 1 and engagement of washer I2 with the inclined face ll of plug 4. When a fluid enters passage 8, plunger member ill will move axially in the housing toward opening 3.

To keep the plunger member in engagement with ring l3, washer l2 and valve seat a resilient means or spring is provided in the housing. This spring 20 seats upon an internal shelf 22 and is located between the shelf 22 and an extending shoulder 24. When plug 4 is screwed into housing I, valve seat 5 engages ball ll of plunger member I0 which forces plunger member l0 downwardly against spring 20. Thus, spring 20 will normally be under tension even when in closed position. This tension urges plunger member Hi into a tight fit with the valve seat 5 and washer I2. The amount of pressure which will be required to open this valve can i.

be determined by the resistance offered by the resilient means '20 as it bears on shoulder 24 and shelf 22. From shoulder 22 an inclined slope 23 may be provided down to opening 3. A multi flat-sided head 25 may be provided on housing I for turning housing i with a wrench. Threads 21 exterior of inlet opening 3 may be employed to connect with flow valve (not shown) such as in application 208,202 above referred to, or any other suitable device.

Above plunger member In and below ring 13 is located a valve chamber 29. A lip 3| is provided on plunger member Hi to engage the inner walls 35 of valve housing I and prevent flow of fluid past that point. It is believed apparent that when fluid enters passage 3 in sufiicient force to move ball away from valve seat 5, the fluid will enter valve chamber 29 and because it will be prevented from passing lip 31, it will necessarily pass through lateral inclined channels 33 in plunger member 10, hereinafter more fully described.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3 in particular wherein plunger member 10 is shown, it can be seen that this member ID is composed of a valve seat engaging portion or ball Ii and a body portion 30 integral therewith. Included in the body portion 30 are lateral inclined passages 38 which connect with hollow stem 33. The ball II is not entirely round and is integral with acollar 40 located just above said inclined passages 38. Lip 3| is located just below inclined passages 38 and provides the surface for engaging wall of housing I for sliding movement within said housing. Below lip 31 is provided a shoulder 24 which serves as a seat for one end of spring 20, as previously stated.

A plurality of inclined passages 38 may be formed in order to provide greatest fluid passage possible; it is desirable that the area of passages 38 at least equal the area of the hollow stem 33 and therefore a plurality of passages 38 are preferably used. Passages 38 are preferably inclined so as to reduce the new restriction to hollow stem 33, but passages 38 may be perpendicular to hollow stem 33, if desired.

In the normal operation of the check valve of this invention, the fluid enters passage 8, presses against plunger member l0 and when the fluid pressure exceeds the resistance ofiered by the spring 20 the plunger member [0 is unseated from valve seat 5, washer l2 and ring i3 and then fluid enters the valve chamber 29 in housing I. Since lip 31 of the plunger member in is a close fit with the inner wall of housing I, substantially all of the fluid passes through the angular passages 38 to hollow stem 33 and then to the opening 3. The large amount of fluid passage possibly can be readily seen.

Broadly, this invention contemplates a check valve with a hollow check valve member.

What is claimed is:

A check valve comprising a hollow valve housing, fluid flow openings on each end of said housing, a plug positioned in one end or" said housing to partially close one of said openings, a passage through said plug, threads on the outside of said plug, corresponding threads on the valve housing to engage said threads on said plug, a valve seat on said plug, a hollow plunger member movable in said housing, said plunger member including a hollow stem as its lower portion, lateral inclined passages in said plunger member connecting with said hollow stem, a ball adjacent said lateral inclined passages, a spring in said housing, an extending shoulder on said plunger member, an internal shelf in said housing, said spring engageably positioned between said shoulder and said shelf to urge said plunger member toward said valve seat, an internal abutment in said housing, a valve seat seal including a metal ring and a resilient washer interposed between said valve seat andsaid plunger member, said internal abutment serving to prevent axial movement of said valve seat seal,

WILLIS C. CARLISLE. JOHN H. McCARVELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 583,668 Bowen June 1, 1897 811,185 Ten Eyck Jan. 30, 1906 1,302,844 Pepler May 6, 1919 1,365,820 Dennis Jan. 18, 1921 1,707,660 Hammerstein Mar. 11, 1929 2,234,932 Schlaupitz Mar. 11, 1941 2,322,139 Kaelin June 15, 1943 2,353,161 Heigis et al. July 11, 1944 

